Learning to Love: Chapter One Is This Home?
by Mevilyn
Summary: A Fanfic of both Beauty and the Beast movie and the novel Beauty by Robin McKinely how Beauty truly fell in love with the Beast over the year she was captive by him.


Learning to Love: When Beast is Beloved by Beauty 

Chapter One: Is This Home?

**BEFORE YOU READ**: This is a fanfic formed by both the movie and Broadway musical of _Beauty and the Beast_ and the book _Beauty_ by Robin McKinely. Most all know of the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast (I know it by heart, lol), but for those who haven't read Beauty, that story is of the whole story from Belle's eyes. She has two sisters, Grace and Hope, and her original name was Honour – but a nickname from her father changed it to Belle (the French word for Beauty or Beautiful). The Beast in the movie asks Belle to stay there forever -–the one in _Beauty_ asks her to marry him, but she only wants to be his friend. She asks to see her family once more, and when she returns – the Beast is on near-death for his worry that she would never come back.

So, this fanfic is a combination of both. The dialogue, for the most part, is from the movie; the songs, poetry, and so on are from the play – but the general story is mostly from Beauty (with a few exceptions). So – enjoy!

_Once upon a time, in a faraway land,  
A young Prince lived in a shining castle.  
Although he had everything his heart desired,  
The Prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. _

But then, one winter's night,  
An old beggar woman came to the castle  
And offered him a single Rose  
In return for shelter from the bitter cold.  
Repulsed by her haggard appearance,  
The Prince sneered at the gift,  
And turned the old woman away.

But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances,  
For Beauty is found within.

And when he dismissed her again,  
The old woman's ugliness melted away  
To reveal a beautiful Enchantress.

The Prince tried to apologize, but it was too late,  
For she had seen that there was no love in his heart.  
And as punishment,  
She transformed him into a hideous beast,  
And placed a powerful spell on the castle,  
And all who lived there.

Ashamed of his monstrous form,  
The beast concealed himself inside his castle,  
With a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world.

The Rose she had offered,  
Was truly an enchanted rose,  
Which would bloom for many years.  
If he could learn to love another,  
And earn her love in return  
By the time the last petal fell,  
Then the spell would be broken.  
If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast  
For all time.

As the years passed,  
He fell into despair, and lost all hope,  
For who could ever learn to love...a Beast?

Belle wept silently on the cold stone floor, feeling more alone and empty than she ever had before.

She couldn't help but hear her father's desperate words echo in her mind…  
_"No, Belle! I won't let you do this! I'm old, I've lived my life!"_

…She didn't even get to say goodbye…

Rough and padded footsteps came from the tower's narrow stairwell behind her. She knew who it was – the monster, the fiend, the destroyer of hopes and dreams…. The Beast.

The noise stopped, and a grunt told her that he was waiting not too far behind.

She sobbed to herself.

"_Huh?"_ replied the Beast.

"_You didn't…You didn't even let me say goodbye."_ Belle choked on her sorrowed words.

The Beast looked hard at first, but as she turned her head back out to the window, his face grew somber – to see such a Beauty, a possible love maybe, in such a way…He couldn't bare it.

"I'll never see him again…"

Uncomfortable now, the Beast changed the subject.

"Come, I'll show you to your room."

"My room? But isn't this - "

"Do you want to stay here in the dungeon?"

"No…"

"Then follow me."

He led her through the castle's many gloomy halls of pure dark and ruined artwork.

The Beast began to speak of the castle and its many aspects – but all Belle could think of was everything she just sacrificed. Her father. Her sisters. Her freedom. _Everything_.

How could I not have done this? My father…he wouldn't have made it long here…and Grace and Hope need him – I couldn't be so selfish as to leaving him here…Oh, what have I gotten myself into?

Then something the Beast said snapped her out of her state of mind.

"_-Anywhere, except the West Wing."_

"_What's in the West Wi - "_

"_It's forbidden!"_

His voice echoed with impatience, and he heard it too as it repeated off of the castle's bare walls.

Rubbing the back of his thick-coated neck, the Beast turned and kept shuffling with Belle behind him.

_Why don't I say something to her? She looks so alone, so lost…What have I done? _

_She probably hates me now…_Was all the Beast could think of.

"_You'll like your room, it's got a lovely view of the woods, and can see the sunset perfectly." _Was all the Beast could manage to say.

Belle remained in a silent tomb.

"_I, uh, hope you won't forget my offer…"_ The Beast stammered.

He turned to face her, just as a tear was rolling down her pale cheek.

Desperate, he thought. That's what I must be – so desperate to be me again that I'm willing to take this girl's freedom and future away from her. How could I force her to make such a choice so vastly?

As they turned down another corridor and approached her new bedroom chamber, the Beast was already regretting every event that had happened within the night.

As Belle slowly entered her new room, the Beast kept at the door and watched her gaze around the room without much interest.

The room was fairly large, with a king-sized bed on the right, a grand mirror on the left wall, and a window that showed the woods – pitch black with hollowing wind.

_Think of something to say you big – _

"_Come to dinner with me."_ He blurted out.

She turned around, looking as if he had just slapped her across the face.

"_You will come to dinner with me – and you will stop being so down!"_ He snarled. "I won't dine with such a pitiful face!"

_What did I just say?_

"_Well, then you won't have to!"_ Belle shouted back. _"I won't come to dinner with you – ever!"_

"_Fine! If you won't eat with me – then you can just STARVE!"_

With that, the Beast slammed and locked the door, then skulked off in his attitude.

Belle collapsed to her bedside and sobbed.

_Is this home?  
Is this where I should learn to be happy?  
Never dreamed  
That a home could be dark and cold  
I was told  
Every day in my childhood:  
Even when you grow old  
Home should be where the heart is  
Never where words so true!  
My heart's far, far away  
Home is too  
Is this home  
Is this what I must learn to believe in  
Try to find  
Something good in this tragic place  
Just in case  
I should stay here forever  
Held in this empty place  
Oh, that won't be easy  
I know the reason why  
My heart's far, far away  
Home's alike  
What I'd give to return  
To the life that I knew lately  
But I know now I can't  
All my problems going by  
Is this home?  
Am I here for a day or forever?  
Shut away  
From the world until who knows when  
Oh, but then  
As my life has been altered once  
It can change again  
Build higher walls around me  
Change every lock and key  
Nothing lasts, nothing holds  
All of me  
My heart's far, far away  
Home and free…._

With her salty tears of hurt stopped flowing, Belle was fast asleep.

From the other side of the mirror, the Beast watched as his captive cried herself into slumber.

_What have I done…_

_She'll never love me – this is just a waste of time_.


End file.
